"Oh, you're still tearing up. Let me help you," Min offered, tearing a page from his notepad and using it as a make-do tissue. With gentle movements, he leaned in and carefully wiped away the tears from Hyun's eyes and cheeks. As Min's hand came close to Hyun's face, both boys felt a fleeting moment of intensity. Min's heart butterflied, his mind filled with both nerves and a strange sense of exhilaration. Hyun, on the other hand, noticed the notepad and pencil in Min's hand.
"Thanks, Min. Also, I'm sorry for ruining your drawing session. I can leave if you want," Hyun said, apology etched on his face.
"No, no. Please stay. You don't need to apologize," Min told him, offering a warm smile.
"What do you draw? I bet your notepad is filled with cool sketches," Hyun asked, curious to know more about Min's artistic side.
"Nothing really. Just birds and stuff like that. This notepad is a new one, so it's empty," Min replied, downplaying his talent. He believed that sharing his drawings might change the atmosphere, preferring to focus on Hyun instead.
"I guess it's time for me to leave. I'll tell a teacher to take my name off the list and take a quick nap somewhere. I don't think I'll come to school tomorrow. I badly need some rest," Hyun decided, expressing his need for a break.
"I hope you rest well and come back feeling better. If you ever wanna talk about your struggles, I'm always free," Min offered, his support unwavering.
Hyun's signature smile finally emerged, lighting up his face.
"Thank you so much," Hyun expressed his gratitude before surprising Min by leaning forward and embracing him in a heartfelt hug. After a moment, Hyun released the embrace and stood up.
"I'm feeling much better, thanks to you. I'll see you on Friday!" Hyun declared with gratitude in his voice as he stretched his arms. He waved goodbye and walked away, leaving Min in a daze.
"Bye! I hope to see you soon!" Min called out, his voice cracking embarrassingly. He prayed Hyun hadn't heard him.
As minutes passed, Min still felt the lingering effects of the unexpected hug. His legs vibrated uncontrollably, making it impossible for him to draw. He placed his notepad and pencil on the ground, laying his body on the bench, absorbing all that had transpired. Wide-eyed and lost in thought, he appeared like a slender log resting on the bench, drifting into a state of daydreaming.
Meanwhile, Hyun, on his way to one of the classrooms to withdraw from the music festival, felt revitalized after pouring his heart out. He likened himself to a shaken bottle of soda pop, and by opening up and expressing his emotions, he had relieved the built-up pressure. While his situation had seemed dire just fifteen minutes ago, his spirits were now more lifted, and a glimmer of hope emerged, despite the underlying layer of dread and sadness.
Hyun, having completed the process of withdrawing from the music festival, made his way through the playground to reach his classroom. Along the way, he noticed a group of first-graders energetically playing and interacting with one another. The boisterous screams of the children might have been off-putting to some, but Hyun had a soft spot for kids. Intrigued, he decided to postpone his nap and observe their playful antics.
Among the children, Hyun's attention was captured by a little girl with pigtails and bright-colored hairpins. She was fully engrossed in building "sandcastles" using her hands since she lacked a bucket and spade. Despite her messy appearance, with mud on her face, knees, and clothes, she remained determined to create the best sandcastle she could with the resources available to her.
On the other side of the sandbox, a tiny boy in a comparatively cleaner uniform was diligently preparing candy-shaped objects by wetting sand and rolling it into mud spheres. He then placed the mud spheres onto twigs, resembling lollipops. Once finished, he approached the girl with his makeshift treats.
"Look, I made some lollipops. Take one!" the boy eagerly offered.
"Can't you see I'm busy? Also, those are not lollipops," the girl replied, fully focused on her sandcastles.
"Just pretend these are lollipops. Please," the boy persisted, hopeful for the girl's acceptance.
"Fine. Thank you for the lollipop!" the girl responded dismissively, not even glancing at the proffered treats.
"You didn't even take it!" the boy protested.
"I DON'T CARE!" the girl snapped, her words triggering a sudden burst of rage from the seemingly kind-hearted boy. In a fit of anger, he flung his lollipops away and began ruthlessly stomping on the girl's sandcastles.
"What's wrong with you?! Why did you do that?!" the girl exclaimed, clearly hurt and confused.
"I didn't do it. Aliens did it!" the boy retorted, attempting to shift the blame.
"What? Manu, my father told me that aliens are not real," the girl countered.
"I think they're real, Ishi. Why do you and your father think they're not real?" the boy questioned.
"Um...I haven't seen aliens with my own eyes, so I don't think they exist," Ishi explained her rationale.
"Have you ever seen your brain with your own eyes?" Manu challenged her.
"No. Why?" Ishi asked, intrigued by the unexpected question.
"Then I don't think it exists," Manu asserted confidently.
"COME BACK HERE, YOU LOSER!" Ishi exclaimed, her anger now reaching the level of an enraged bison. She charged at Manu, who narrowly evaded her, initiating a chase filled with laughter from the boy and sheer anger from the girl. Hyun was tempted to stay and witness how the situation would unfold, but the sound of the school bell ringing reminded him of his impending tasks. Reluctantly, he left the playground behind and made his way toward his classroom to pack his bag.
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